With free agency just over a week away, the Redskins have a few decisions to make. Should they pursue Asante Samuel and bid adieu to Shawn Springs? Do they look for a free safety so they can move LaRon Landry back to strong safety? Or can they get by for another season with Landry at free safety and Reed Doughty at strong safety?
    Based on a brief conversation with new defensive coordinator Greg Blache (he had the title for four years, now he’s actually in charge of the defense), it sounds as if he’s willing to go for another season with Landry at free and Doughty at strong.
  Blache’s bigger concerns are a pass-rushing defensive tackle and stability at outside linebacker.
The defensive tackle probably will be sought in the draft. It will be a surprise if the Redskins do not pursue Lance Briggs, outside linebacker with the Bears, in free agency. They practically had a deal done last season that would have brought Briggs in via a trade. Since all he will cost now is millions, Briggs practically has “Redskins” written all over him.

    Blache also seems fine with Springs for another season. But that is a decision that probably will be made above him. Springs refused to take a salary cut last season, confident he could find equal money elsewhere if the Redskins decided simply to cut him. Sometimes, resentment lingers over such decisions, and it will be interesting to see if that’s the case with Springs and the Redskins management this year.
    If you’re a diehard Redskins fan, you might get used to the idea of seeing them play without Rock Cartwright in the lineup. He’s a free agent, and there are no indications the Redskins are hot to re-sign him. If Joe Gibbs had returned, Cartwright might be signed by now. Gibbs is a big Rock Cartwright fan.

  Coaches are like that. There are players they latch onto and refuse to let them go until it is obvious to everyone that the player is physically unable to perform. Jim Zorn is going to have guys like that. It’s not clear who they are at this point—Trent Dilfer could be one of them—but there will be Zorn guys on the Redskins roster. 
    Pierson Prioleau is a Gregg Williams “guy.“ Prioleau also is a free agent, and he might follow Williams to Jacksonville. That’s far from certain, though. Prioleau was not at the top of his game last season, and Williams is not known for the kind words he dispenses when players are struggling.

    The bigger question might be whether Prioleau has another NFL season in him. He’s certainly gotten everything out of his ability that he can. He’s played all of seven seasons and parts of two others. He’d no doubt like to make 10 years in the NFL. Who wouldn’t? The veteran’s minimum salary at the 10-year-plus level in 2008 is $830,000. It’s tough to replace that kind of income in the real world.

    The Redskins are remarkably unaffected by free agency. The biggest names on the list of players they might lose are Todd Collins and Derrick Frost. It’s difficult to imagine Frost going elsewhere. Collins wants the chance to start, but that’s going to be hard to find. The conventional wisdom is that Collins will follow Al Saunders to St. Louis.

  Collins is Saunders’ quarterback security blanket as a coach. The problem for Collins is that Rams coach Scott Linehan already has his quarterback security blanket in Gus Frerotte. Collins might return to Washington by default.